A Marital Garland of Letters – Arunachala Akshara Mani Malai.

Invocation by Poet Sri Muruganar:
This joyful marital garland of letters which resembles a beam of the rays of the rising sun was sung by the noble sage Ramana, the ocean of compassion, with the object of removing the delusion of the devotees who sought his grace. Those who look upon it as their sole refuge will realize within themselves that they are Arunachala and will reign in the world of Siva.

Invocation by Sri Bhagavan:
Gracious Ganapati[1]! With Thy (loving) hand bless me, that I may make this a marital garland of letters worthy of the Lord, Sri Arunachala.

1.
Arunachala! Thou doest root out the ego of those who meditate on Thee in the heart, O Arunachala!

2.
May Thou and I be one and inseparable like Alagu and Sundara[2], O Arunachala!

3.
Entering (my) home and luring me (to Thine) why didst Thou keep me prisoner: in Thy heart’s cavern? O Arunachala?

4.
Was it for Thy pleasure or for my sake Thou didst win me? If now Thou turn me away, the world will blame Thee, O Arunachala!

5.
Escape this blame! Why didst Thou then recall Thyself to me? How can I leave Thee now, O Arunachala?

6.
Much more gracious (kind) art Thou than one’s own mother. Is this then Thy kindness, O Arunachala?

8.
Display Thy beauty, so that the strumpet mind will cease to walk the streets and become calm, looking at Thee always, O Arunachala!

9.
After abducting me (i.e. after destroying my ego) if now Thou dost not embrace me, where is Thy chivalry, O Arunachala?

10.
Does it become Thee thus to sleep when I am outraged by others, O Arunachala?

11.
Even when the thieves of the five senses break in upon me, art Thou not still in my heart, O Arunachala?

12.
One art Thou without a second; who then could dare elude Thee and come in? This is only Thy guile, O Arunachala!

13.
Significance of Aum unrivalled – unsurpassed! Who can comprehend Thee, O Arunachala?

14.
As (Universal) Mother, it is Thy duty to dispense Thy Grace and save me, O Arunachala!

15.
Who can ever find Thee? The Eye of the eye art Thou, and without eyes Thou seest, O Arunachala!

16.
Like a lodestone attracting iron, draw me to Thee and, holding me fast, do Thou united me to Thee, O Arunachala!

17.
(Unmoving) Hill, melting into a Sea of Grace, have mercy (on me) I pray, O Arunachala.

18.
Fiery Gem, shining in all directions, do Thou burn up my dross, O Arunachala!

19.
Shine as my Guru, making me free from faults and worthy of Thy Grace, O Arunachala!

20.
Save me from the cruel snares of fascinating women and honour me with union with Thyself, O Arunachala!

21.
Though I beg, Thou art callous and dost not condescend. I pray Thee! Say to me, ‘Fear not!’ O Arunachala!

22.
Unasked Thou givest; this is Thy imperishable fame. Do not belie Thy name, O Arunachala!

23.
Sweet fruit within my hands, let me be mad with ecstasy, drunk with the Bliss of Thy Essence, O Arunachala!

24.
Blazoned as the Devourer of Thy votaries, how can I survive who have embraced Thee, O Arunachala?

25.
Thou, unruffled by anger! What crime has marked me off (for Thy wrath), O Arunachala?

26.
Glorious Mountain of Love, celebrated by Gautama[3], rule me with Thy gracious glance, O Arunachala!

27.
Dazzling Sun that swallowest up all the universe in Thy rays, by Thy Light open the lotus of my heart I pray, O Arunachala!

28.
I came to feed on Thee, but Thou hast fed on me; now there is Peace, O Arunachala!

29.
O Moon of Grace, with Thy (cool) rays as hands, open (within me) the ambrosial orifice and let my heart rejoice, O Arunachala!

30.
Tear off these (worldly) robes, expose me naked, then robe me with Thy Love, O Arunachala!

31.
There (in the heart) rest quiet! Let the sea of joy surge, speech and feeling cease, O Arunachala!

32.
Do not continue to deceive and prove me; disclose instead Thy Transcendental Self, O Arunachala!

33.
Vouchsafe the knowledge of Eternal Life that I may learn the glorious Primal Wisdom, and shun the delusion of this world, O Arunachala!

34.
Unless Thou embrace me, I shall melt away in tears of anquish, O Arunachala!

35.
If spurned by Thee, alas! What rests for me but the torment of my prarabhda?[4] What hope is left for me, O Arunachala?

36.
In silence Thou saidst, ‘Stay silent!’ and Thyself stood silent, O Arunachala![5]

37.
If I slumber in quiet repose enjoying the bliss of being, what other moksha is there, tell me, O Arunachala?

38.
Your sunlike splendour you revealed and having destroyed my illusion, now you remain inactive and unmoving (as a mountain), O Arunachala!

39.
(A dog can scent out its master); am I then worse than a dog? Steadfastly will I seek Thee and regain Thee, O Arunachala!

40.
Grant me wisdom, I beseech Thee, so that I may not pine for love of Thee in ignorance, O Arunachala!

41.
(In sunlight the lotus blossoms), how then couldst Thou, the Sun of suns, hover before me like a flower bee, saying ‘Thou are not yet in blossom,’ O Arunachala!

42.
‘Thou hast realised the Self even without knowing that it was the Truth. It is the Truth Itself!’ Speak (thus if it be so), O Arunachala!

44.
‘Look within, ever seeking the Self with the inner eye, then will (It) be found.’ Thus didst Thou direct me, beloved Arunachala!

46.
What value has this birth without Knowledge born of realisation? It is not even worth speaking about, O Arunachala!

47.
Let me by Thy Grace, dive into Thy true Self, wherein merge only the pure in mind and speech, O My Lord Arunachala!

48.
When I took shelter under Thee as my One God, Thou didst destroy me altogether, O Arunachala!

49.
Treasure of benign and holy Grace, found without seeking, end my mind’s despondency, O Arunachala!

50.
On seeking Thy Real Self with courage, my raft capsized and the waters came over me. Have mercy on me Arunachala!

51.
Unless Thou extendst Thy hand of Grace and embrace me, I am lost. Have mercy on me, O Arunachala!

52.
O Undefiled, abide Thou in my heart so that there may be everlasting joy, Arunachala!

53.
Mock me not, who seek Thy protection! Adorn me with Thy Grace and then regard me, O Arunachala!

54.
Does it not shame Thee to stand there like a post, (leaving me) to find Thee by myself, O Arunachala?

55.
Rain Thy Mercy on me ere Thy Fire (Knowledge) burns me to ashes, O Arunachala!

56.
Unite with me to destroy (our separate identities) as Thou and me, and bless me with the state of ever-vibrant joy, O Arunachala!

57.
When will waves of thought cease to rise? When shall I reach Thee, subtler than the subtle ether, O Arunachala?

59.
When I melted away and entered Thee, my Refuge (I found) Thee standing naked (formless), O Arunachala!

60.
In my unloving self Thou didst create a passion for Thee, therefore forsake me not, O Arunachala!

61.
Fruit shrivelled and spoilt is worthless; take and enjoy it ripe, O Arunachala!

62.
Hast Thou not bartered cunningly Thyself for me (for my individuality is lost)? O, Thou art death to me, Arunachala!

63.
Regard me! Take thought of me! Touch me![6] Mature me! Make me one with Thee, O Arunachala!

64.
Grant me Thy Grace ere the poison of delusion grips me and, rising to my head, kills me, O Arunachala!

65.
Thyself regard me out of Thy Grace and dispel illusion! Unless Thou do so who can intercede with Thee (on my behalf), O Arunachala?

66.
With madness for Thee hast Thou freed me of madness (for the world); grant me now the cure of all madness, O Arunachala!

67.
Fearless I seek Thee, Fearlessness Itself! How canst Thou fear to take me, O Arunachala!

68.
Where is (my) ignorance or (Thy) Wisdom, if I am blessed with union to Thee, O Arunachala?

69.
Espouse me, I beseech Thee, and let this mind, now wedded to the world, be wedded to Perfection, O Arunachala!

70.
When I merely thought of Thee Thou didst draw me to Thee; who can realize Thy Glory (in Itself), O Arunachala?

71.
Thou hast possessed me, unexorcizable Spirit! And made me mad (for Thee), that I may cease to be a ghost (wandering the world), O Arunachala!

72.
Be Thou my stay and my support lest I droop helpless like a tender creeper, O Arunachala!

73.
Thou dist benumb (my faculties) with stupefying powder, then rob me of my understanding and reveal the Knowledge of Thy Self, O Arunachala!

74.
Show me the warfare of Thy Grace, in the Open Field where there is no coming and going O Arunachala!

75.
Unattached to the physical frame composed of the (five) elements, let me for ever repose happy in the sight of Thy Splendour, O Arunachala!

76.
Thou hast administered the medicine of confusion to me, so must I be confounded! Shine Thou as Grace, the cure of all confusion. O Arunachala!

77.
Shine Thou selfess, sapping the pride of those who boast of their free-will, O Arunachala!

78.
I am a fool who prays only when overwhelmed (by misery), yet disappoint me not, O Arunachala!

79.
Guard me lest I flounder storm-tossed like ship without helmsman, O Arunachala!

80.
Thou hast cut the knot which hid the vision of They Head and Foot (the limitless Self). Motherlike, shouldst Thou not complete Thy task, O Arunachala?

81.
Be not (like) a mirror held to a noseless man, but raise me (from my lowness) and embrace me, O Arunachala!

82.
Let us embrace upon the bed of tender flowers, which is the mind, within the room of the body (or the Ultimate Truth), O Arunachala!

83.
How is it that Thou hast become famous from Thy constant union with the poor and humble, O Arunachala?

84.
Thou has removed the blindness of ignorance with the unguent of Thy Grace, and made me truly Thine, O Arunachala!

85.
Thou dist shave clean my head (and I was lost to the world), then Thou didst (show Thyself) dancing in Transcendent Space, O Arunachala!

86.
Though Thou hast loosed me from the mists of error and made me mad for Thee, why hast Thou not yet freed me from illusion; O Arunachala?

87.
Is it true Silence to rest like a stone, inert and unexpansive, O Arunachala?

88.
Who was it (except Thee) that threw mud to me for food and robbed me of my livelihood, O Arunachala?

89.
Unknown to all, stupefying me, Who was it that ravished my soul, O Arunachala?

90.
I spoke thus to Thee, because Thou art my Lord (lit. he who makes one rejoice); be not offended but come and give me happiness, O Arunachala!

91.
Let us enjoy one another in the House of Open Space, where there is neither night nor day, O Arunachala!

92.
Thou didst take aim (at me) with darts of Love, and then devoured me alive, O Arunachala!

93.
Thou art the Primal Being, whereas I count not in this nor the other world. What didst Thou gain thus by my worthless self, O Arunachala?

94.
Dist Thou not call me in? I have come in. Now measure out for me, (my maintenance is now Thy burden). Hard is Thy lot, O Arunachala!

95.
The moment Thou didst welcome me, didst enter into me and grant me Thy divine life, I lost my individuality, O Arunachala!

96.
Bless me that I may die without losing hold of Thee, or miserable is (my fate), O Arunachala!

97.
From my home Thou didst entice me, then stealing into my heart didst draw me gently into Thine, (such is) Thy Grace, O Arunachala.

98.
I have betrayed Thy (secret) workings. Be not offended! Show me Thy Grace now openly and save me, O Arunachala!

99.
Grant me the essence of the Vedas, which shine in the Vedanta, One without a second, O Arunachala!

100.
Even my slanders, treat as praise and guard me for ever as Thine own, I pray, O Arunachala!

101.
As snow in water, let me melt, as Love in Thee, Who art Love itself, O Arunachala!

102.
I had but thought of Thee as Aruna, and lo! I was caught in the trap of Thy Grace? Can the net of Thy Grace ever fail, O Arunachala!

103.
Watching like a spider to trap me in the web of Thy Grace, Thou didst entwine me and when imprisoned feed upon me, O Arunachala!

104.
Let me be the votary of the votaries of those who hear Thy name with love, O Arunachala!

105.
Shine Thou for ever as the loving Saviour of helpless supplicants like myself, O Arunachala!

106.
Familiar to Thine ears are the sweet songs of votaries who melt to the very bones with love for Thee, yet let my poor strains also be acceptable, O Arunachala!

107.
Hill of Patience, bear with my foolish words, (regarding them) as hymns of joy or as Thou please, O Arunachala!

108.
O Arunachala! My Loving Lord! Throw Thy garland (about my shoulders) wearing Thyself this one (strung) by me, Arunachala!

Blessed be Arunachala! Blessed be His devotees!
Blessed be this Marital Garland of Letters!

[1]      Another name for Lord Ganesa
[2]      The Tamil word alagu and Sanskrit word sundara have the same meaning: ‘beauty’. Alagu and Sundara were also the names of Sri Ramana’s mother and father.
[3]      A Hindu sage who dwelt at Arunachala.
[4]      Prarabdha is the part of destiny due to past actions (karmas) which bears fruit in the present birth.
[5]     Silence is the highest and most perfect form of instruction which the Guru can give, for by its nature it is closest to the essential object of such instruction, which is the realisation by the disciple of the incommunicable and inexpressible Absolute.
[6]      ‘Regard me! Take thought of me! Touch me!’ Refer respectively to the three modes of initiation, by look, by thought, and by touch.